June 13, 2018

GOP Secretary of State candidate drops out of race

New Mexico Republican candidate for Secretary of State and Albuquerque lawyer JoHanna Cox announced Wednesday she’s dropping out of her race.

Cox cited the need to take care of her family as why she could not continue running.

“Unfortunately, I am unable to continue this campaign because my family requires my full attention at this moment,” Cox wrote in a statement.

Cox said she would “give my full support to the candidate who takes my place on the ballot.”

The Albuquerque Journal recently reported Cox faced three legal malpractice lawsuits in the past six years. In her statement, Cox did not mention the Journal report or the lawsuits against her as reasons for dropping out.

This is a breaking news story and we will add more information as we receive it.

Cox also had problems fundraising, and reported just $1,300 cash on hand in the final pre-primary campaign finance reports.

By dropping out after last week’s primary election she allows the Republican Party of New Mexico to choose a replacement for the general election in November. If Cox dropped out prior to the primary election, the state Republican Party would have been left without a candidate for Secretary of State for the general election.

Now it is up to the state Republican Party to replace Cox, if they decide to. The potential replacement candidate would face Democratic incumbent Maggie Toulouse Oliver and former Democratic legislator Sandra Jeff, who is running as a Libertarian in November. Cox, Jeff and Toulouse Oliver all ran unopposed in the primary election.

Two of the three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for governor have over $1.5 million cash on hand for the final stretch before the primary election on June 5. Early voting has already started.

Democrats swept statewide races on Election Day, and will control not just the governor’s office and all of the executive agencies, but also independent state agencies that oversee everything from state funds to state lands. Democratic incumbent Tim Eichenberg easily won the race for State Treasurer over Republican Arthur Castillo and Democrat Brian Colón defeated Republican Wayne Johnson for State Auditor.

New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver’s decision to add straight-party ticket voting to November’s ballot has caused waves across the political party spectrum. But, besides uniting independents, Libertarians and Republicans in a state Supreme Court challenge, Toulouse Oliver’s proposed action has spurred one Portales woman to try and take over as the state’s election administrator.

Controversial political figure and former presidential chief strategist Steve Bannon will make an appearance in New Mexico on Thursday in support of the Republican U.S. Senate candidate. UPDATE: Steve Bannon: Mick Rich is a ‘real populist’
Mick Rich’s campaign confirmed that Bannon will speak on behalf of his political group Citizens of the American Republic in Roswell, stumping for the Albuquerque construction contractor and political newcomer.

The race for New Mexico Secretary of State is down to two candidates after the Libertarian nominee Sandra Jeff dropped out on Tuesday. In a letter to the New Mexico Libertarian Party of New Mexico, Jeff cited “unforeseen personal obligations” as the reason she is ending her campaign.

State Rep. Bobby Gonzales shook his head from side to side after listening to all the suggestions about how to meet a judge's order to provide more resources to New Mexico children who, in the court's view, are not receiving a good public education.